And Theo Peckham, coming off a weak year in 2011-12 and a second year lost due to him being out of shape, has signed with the Chicago Blackhawks,as has goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, whipping boy of the Oilogosphere.

Lennart Petrell to Switzerland?

There’s beenat least one report from a Swiss website that the Geneva-Servette team in the Swiss league might sign up Petrell.

The lanky Finnish checker also got a boost when he received an invite from the Finnish national team camp preparing for the Sochi Olympics.

Whitney likely waiting to earn job at NHL camp

A few weeks ago, The Journal’s Jim Matheson speculated that Ryan Whitney might sign with Nashville, Tampa, Florida or the Islanders, though he might have to wait until training camp to earn a contract and would be taking a big cut in pay. Said Matheson: “I still think Whitney makes a heckuva first pass out of his zone. I think he can be a second unit powerplay guy. Teams are always looking for defencemen. He’ll get work. When? Who knows.”

“A number of teams have expressed interest in Mark,” his agent Gerry Johannson said . “There’s a healthy market for him and it’s just about being patient. … He’s a physical guy and just starting to take the next step of what he can bring. And he brings something. I know my guys (clients) don’t like playing against him.”

My take?

First off, here are the final report card marks for each player for 2013

Nikolai Khabibulin, C-: A few big games followed up by shaky starts. Can’t be counted on for two good games in a row.

Lennart Petrell, D+: Gets an “A” for superior penalty killing, but a D- for even strength work, where his offensive play is extremely limited.

Mark Fistric, D+: Just what should have been expected, a Jason Strudwick-clone, 7th d-man type, a hitter and worker who plays decent in own zone vs. weak competition, but is poor puck mover.

Ryan Whitney, D: Can still move that puck well, but injury has greatly limited his defensive mobility, so he leaks chances against.

Theo Peckham, D-: Came to camp out of shape and hasn’t done well in games he has played. Once promising career is on the rocks.

Eric Belanger, F: Age and injury have taken big toll. Miscast as a checking centre when Horcoff was out, Belanger has still been leaking chances against and is weak on forecheck as fourth liner.

Only winger Ben Eager, banished to the minors half-way through the season, was grouped in with the bulk of this group, earning a D-. Khabibulin’s grade was OKish, but not his age and constant injuries.

It’s no surprise to see the Oilers cut ties with all these players, nor is it a surprise to see some finding it difficult to find a new home.

That said, as recently as 2010-11, Whitney was a strong NHLer, and he got by in 2011-12 before having his game collapse last season. If he can get more healthy, the passing and thinking skills of an NHL d-man are still there. Little wonder that NHL teams want to see his skating at camp, though, before offering him a deal.

Petrell provides so little at even strength it’s hard to imagine he’ll help an NHL team, unless they are in desperate need of a role player to kill penalties and do little else.

Fistric is the pick of the final three. He’s not much when it comes to moving the puck, but he’s a hitter and a solid enough positional defenceman. Hard to imagine he won’t find a home with some team as a 7th d-man. He’s certainly a far better bet than players like Kurtis Foster, Jim Vandermeer, Ethan Moreau, Patrick O’Sullivan, Taylor Chorney, J.F. Jacques, Jeff Deslauriers, Zack Stortini and Cam Barker, who all got at least one more shot in the NHL after playing their way off of the worst team in hockey in Edmonton.

Finally, we come to the case of Linus Omark. He’s another player who failed to make the Oilers in recent years, but he’s more in the “poor fit” than the “weak performance” category. He failed to light it up in short stints with the Oilers, but did so in the Swiss league, which is fuelling talk he’s close to an NHL deal.

My bet is that it’s either him or Fistric who gets the first NHL contract of the bunch, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see both signed before NHL training camps.

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the “X” in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.